[Adenosine deaminase inhibitor (EHNA) on ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated perfused rat hearts].

The effects of Erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA) on Langendorff perfused rat hearts subjected to ischemia-reperfusion injury were studied. Results showed that EHNA can inhibit the increase of cardiac resting tension during ischemia period and decreasing the incidence of ventricular fibrillation and its duration. The contraction amplitude, resting tension and heart rate could be recovered to preischemic level, and the coronary flow even greater than before. The authors thought that EHNA can block the breakdown of adenosine to inosine and hypothanxine, and, therefore, cut off the pathway and production of oxygen free radicals during ischemia-reperfusion injury.